Ben Bradley made five sacks and 9.5 tackles-for-loss for Hutchinson last season. (Hutchinson Community College)

AUBURN, Alabama – Auburn's push to sign players who can
contribute immediately has landed its third junior college transfer.

Ben Bradley, a 6-3, 315-pound four-star defensive tackle
from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, announced the decision on Twitter Monday afternoon and plans to enroll for the start of classes
Wednesday.

"I know now through this long journey where I belong," Bradley tweeted. "I'm spending my next 2 years (at) the University of Auburn #WarEagle"

Bradley, who was originally scheduled to announce his decision on Monday morning chose the Tigers over Kentucky after visiting both campuses this weekend and what he called a very tough decision-making process moments before making his announcement.

"It is really about where I see myself playing, where I see
myself getting better and competing," Bradley said after his Sunday visit.

Half of a talented defensive tackle tandem for the Blue
Dragons, Bradley's the second Hutchinson player to sign with Auburn after guard Devonte Danzey signed on Christmas Day, and more could be on the way.

His roommate, Toby Johnson, is another four-star defensive
tackle who was being recruited hard by Auburn defensive line coach Rodney
Garner even when Garner was still at Georgia, and Bradley's decision could help
sway Johnson.

The Tigers are also recruiting four-star Hutchinson linebacker
Antonio Longino.

"Toby told me," Bradley said. "If he sticks to his word, if
I go to Auburn, he'll go to Auburn."

A late push by Auburn's coaching staff helped land Bradley.

He already knew head coach Gus Malzahn and Garner. When
Malzahn was still the head coach at Arkansas State, he recruited Bradley,
although Bradley never planned to sign with the Red Wolves.

"You know he's going to score," Bradley said. "And he has
got good defensive guys there like Gabe Wright and all those boys I played with
out of my class. You can see they still have talent.

And he knew Garner from the former Georgia coach's pursuit
of Johnson, who made 37 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks while
playing next to Bradley, who had 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles-for-loss and five
sacks last season.

Beyond his relationship with Auburn's coaching staff,
Bradley badly wanted to play in the SEC, near his hometown of Norcross, Ga.

Now Bradley plans to enroll early and get a head start on
earning playing time in the fall among a crowded Auburn defensive tackle group
that brings back all four regular contributors – Jeff Whitaker, Ken Carter,
Gabe Wright and Angelo Blackson – but failed to make much of an impact in 2012.